Forensic Biogeographical Ancestry Inference: Recent Insights and Current Trends

Overview

Journal Genes Genomics

Specialty Genetics

Date 2023 Apr 20

PMID 37081293

Authors

Yufeng Wen

Jing Liu

Yonglin Su

Xiacan Chen

Yiping Hou

Linchuan Liao

Zheng Wang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: As a powerful complement to the paradigmatic DNA profiling strategy, biogeographical ancestry inference (BGAI) plays a significant part in human forensic investigation especially when a database hit or eyewitness testimony are not available. It indicates one's biogeographical profile based on known population-specific genetic variations, and thus is crucial for guiding authority investigations to find unknown individuals. Forensic biogeographical ancestry testing exploits much of the recent advances in the understanding of human genomic variation and improving of molecular biology.

Objective: In this review, recent development of prospective ancestry informative markers (AIMs) and the statistical approaches of inferring biogeographic ancestry from AIMs are elucidated and discussed.

Methods: We highlight the research progress of three potential AIMs (i.e., single nucleotide polymorphisms, microhaplotypes, and Y or mtDNA uniparental markers) and discuss the prospects and challenges of two methods that are commonly used in BGAI.

Conclusion: While BGAI for forensic purposes has been thriving in recent years, important challenges, such as ethics and responsibilities, data completeness, and ununified standards for evaluation, remain for the use of biogeographical ancestry information in human forensic investigations. To address these issues and fully realize the value of BGAI in forensic investigation, efforts should be made not only by labs/institutions around the world independently, but also by inter-lab/institution collaborations.

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